The present invention relates generally to inflatable restraint systems for automotive vehicles and more particularly to a passenger air bag that utilizes flat sewing seams.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,675 illustrates a passenger side air bag that is manufactured from a large main panel and two curved or arcuately shaped side panels. As can be appreciated, the side sew seams that connect the main panel to each of the side panels are also curved. In production, it is necessary to align the edges of the main panel and each side panel prior to their being sewn together. Thereafter, the aligned seams are typically twisted in one manner or another and laid flat and then sewn. The utilization of an air bag having the curved side panels creates a substantial amount of waste material from the larger sections of air bag material from which these panels are cut. In addition, the curved sew seams necessitate a more complicated and time consuming sewing process.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an air bag in which material utilization is improved and one that is capable of being sewn by automated sewing machines.
Accordingly, the invention comprises an air bag formed from a panel of woven material, the panel comprising a main panel having straight parallel sides, a first neck portion extending from a first end of the main panel portion and a second neck portion extending from an opposite or second end of the main panel portion, a first flap extending outwardly from the first neck portion and a second flap extending from the second next portion. The first neck portion and second neck portion are positioned in an overlapping, registered relationship and sewn together along mating first and second sides of the first neck portion and second neck portion. The respective first ends proximate respective ends of the main panel portion of the sewn together first and second neck portions are positioned along a predetermined line of the main panel portion forming a loop in the main panel with a first length of material of the main panel extending away from one side of the line and a second length of material extending away from the other side of the line with edges of the first and second lengths of material aligned and the sewn together neck portions laid flat on one of the first or the second length of material and the aligned edges sewn together.
Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.